The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-26
COLONEL BASCOaIB ABROAD.
His Opinions of People, Places and Thf ngs in
the Fashionable East

the Fashionable East.
Chicago News
lent and enterprising citizens, has just returned
from the East, where. for the last six weeks, he
has been travelling around spending money. see
ing the sights, and gratifying his dlllytanty
tastes. He visited Long Branch, Newport
Cape MAY. Coney island and all the fashionable
watering places. sometimes paying as high
being Identified with the re- ho.e-tong of the
society world. He complains that Newport,
Long Branch and those other seaside resorts
seem to be mushroom towns simply; a large per-
centaee of the tributary country being water.
the Colonel does not see how the present boom
can be sustained. There mauufactur-
ing commercial interests to warrant the be-
lief that the boom 10 permanent; agriculture is
engaged in to a limited extent, the OUTPUT of
wild blackberries being uncommonly large.
but the people seem to prefer wearing fine clothes
and attending balls and parties and the result
is that what few business advantages these iocall-
ties possess are sadly neglected. The Colonel
thought it would be verirable eodsend for
Newport, CSGey island and other fashionable re-
sorts of that kind if Chicago capital and Chi
cago enterprise could be induced to come in and
erect few packing houses and other institu-
tions calculated to give to a community the
assurance of permanent prosperity.
Colonel Bascomb brought homo a good many
articles de virtu with him-such as fine cutlery.
glassware, crockery, and window curtains He
spent about SIS. 600 in Injuries of this character
One Siberian bloodhound pup, which he bought
in New York, cost him $500, but the Colons. is
not the man to stop at the price Of anything
which he thinks necessary to his position as an
exponent of refinement
while in Philadelphia" said he, 81
went into John Wanamaker's store to see that
famous Pllate picture. am very found of mas
terpieces, and was particularly anxious to see
this work, for heard that Wanamaker paid SoO,-
900 for it, l have pretty fine layout OF paint
ings. myself Two years ago l had the whole
family executed in India ink, by Max Platz,
and last spring l attended the sale of the
Columbia Theater art gallery, and bought
two chef douvers, The Queen of the
Bslly' and dark-b blue landscape with light
brown sheep in it. This PLATE picture disap-
pointed me. 1t is about twenty feet front by
twelve feet deep and the coloring is too somber
to suit NE; the subject, too is unfortunate-that
siasm of a business man. Speaking as West
ern connoisure. I should much prefer one OF
Robert Boomers animal pieces-a Horse FAIR
Wounded Lion or something of that kind
STILL" continued Colonel Bascomb, ''Mr.
Wanamaker deserves good deal OF praise for
having got this picture out of the hands of the
European folks who, understand, never let go
of masterpiece when they once get hold OF 1t.
Wanamaker exhibits this painting free OF
charge. but it pays him big money just the same.
The attendant lecturer who points out the
beauties of the work invariably con-
cludes his remarks with the announce
ment that "a clearine-out sale of gents
pants is now taking place
the fourth floor or that, having now inspected
the canvas. please pass around to the second
counter on the right, where silk suspenders and
handkerchiefs are being slaughtered this week.
was told that Wanamakers sales in the pants
department. alone had increased 20 per cent.
since he bought that picture OF course didn't
go into the store to do any trading; l went to
show my appreciation OF art. But just to show
that / had money ordered clerk to send
around to the Continental Hotel where was
paying So day for board and lodging"